Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
The Committee focuses on areas including:
- rural land use, including forestry, farming and crofting
- food and drink supply chain
- animal welfare and wildlife crime
- fisheries and aquaculture
- issues relevant to the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018
The Committee's name changed from Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee to Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 1 February 2023.
Next meeting of the committee
Start time:
9:00am, Wednesday 21 January 2026
Location: T4.40-CR2 The Fairfax Somerville Room
Agenda:
- Decision on taking business in private
- Scottish Government Budget 2026 to 2027
- Subordinate legislation
- Subordinate legislation
- Scottish Government Budget 2026 to 2027
- Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill (in private)
Dates for future meetings
The Rural Affairs and Islands Committee usually meets weekly on Wednesdays.
Previous meetings of the committee
Work of the Committee
Current work
Committee advisers
Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill
Draft Climate Change Plan as it relates to agriculture and land use
Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill
Petition PE1490 Control of wild goose numbers
Petition PE1758 End greyhound racing In Scotland
Proposed national Good Food Nation Plan
The Good Food Nation (Specified Functions and Descriptions) (Scottish Ministers) Regulations 2025
Completed work
Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill
Amendment to the Joint Fisheries Statement
Budget scrutiny 2023 to 2024
Budget scrutiny 2024 to 2025
Budget scrutiny 2025 to 2026
Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill
Draft Joint Fisheries Statement
Future agriculture policy in Scotland
Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill
Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill
Inshore fisheries
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Shark Fins Bill
National islands plan
Offshore Fishing (Prohibition of Fishing Methods) (Scotland) Order 2025
Petition PE1951 Reinstate inshore coastal limit on the use of dredge and trawl fishing gears
Quality Meat Scotland (Amendment) Order 2023
Rural Development (Continuation of Operation) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2024
Salmon farming in Scotland
Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) (No. 2) Order 2022 (SSI 2022/35)
Sea Fisheries (Remote Electronic Monitoring and Regulation of Scallop Fishing) (Scotland) Regulations 2024
The Rural Support (Improvement) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2025
Town and Country Planning (Marine Fish Farming) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025
UK Common frameworks
Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Bill
Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill
Future work
The Committee has agreed its work programme. Please note, this may be updated to reflect changing parliamentary business
Correspondence
Correspondence
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Subordinate legislation: Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025
16 January 2026
Letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, 16 January 2026
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
12 January 2026
Letter from Animal Equality, 12 January 2026
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
12 January 2026
Letter from Coastal Communities Network Scotland, 12 January 2026
Official Reports of meetings
Official Reports of meetings
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Draft Climate Change Plan
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Subordinate Legislation
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, December 3, 2025
Subordinate Legislation, Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Subordinate Legislation, Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 1, Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 1, Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1, Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill (Stage 1), Subordinate Legislation
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Meeting date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 1, Subordinate legislation
Reports
Committee reports
Subordinate legislation considered by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 17 December 2025
Published: 09 January 2026
This report details the Rural Affairs and Island Committee's consideration of the draft Common Organisation of the Markets in Agricultural Products (Fruit and Vegetables) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2026.
Stage 1 report on the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill
Published: 19 December 2025
This report sets out the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee's consideration of the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill at Stage 1.
Subordinate legislation considered by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 3 December 2025
Published: 05 December 2025
This report details the Rural Affairs and Island Committee's consideration of the draft Good Food Nation (Specified Functions and Descriptions) (Scottish Ministers) Regulations 2025
Committee Remit
To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, with the exception of matters relating to land reform, natural resources and peatland, Scottish Land Commission, Crown Estate Scotland, and Royal Botanic Garden.
Current Members
Finlay Carson
Convener
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Beatrice Wishart
Deputy Convener
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Alasdair Allan
Member
Scottish National Party
Ariane Burgess
Member
Scottish Green Party
Tim Eagle
Member
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Rhoda Grant
Member
Scottish Labour
Emma Harper
Member
Scottish National Party
Emma Roddick
Member
Scottish National Party
Evelyn Tweed
Member
Scottish National Party
Full details of committee membership, including substitute and previous members